Video: Basic Trust & Mistrust: Erik Erikson's Theory

This lesson will explore trust vs. mistrust, the first stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. This stage begins at birth and lasts through one year, and is marked by a reliance on caregivers to meet basic needs.

Robin has a PhD in health psychology. She has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology, health science, and health education.

This lesson will explore trust vs. mistrust, the first stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. This stage begins at birth and lasts through one year, and is marked by a reliance on caregivers to meet basic needs.

Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

Almost every species requires some degree of care and nurturance after birth. Human infants, in particular, are highly dependent on their caregivers for food, shelter, and protection. As babies, we must be able to trust that our caregivers will meet our needs. Otherwise, mistrust can develop and lead to lifelong problems.

In his theory of psychosocial development, a developmental psychologist named Erik Erikson, who lived from 1902-1994, discussed the potential conflicts that can develop out of this and other stages of life. According to Erikson, we begin life in the trust vs. mistrust stage. In this lesson, we'll discuss this important first stage. First, however, let's examine Erikson's theory as a whole in order to provide context.

You've likely heard of the famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and have had at least some exposure to his work in popular culture. Freud focused on the importance of early childhood experiences in the development of personality. He viewed development as a series of psychosexual stages that occur in the first few years of life. Each stage is marked by a sexual conflict, which, if left unresolved, could lead to long-lasting psychological problems.

Stages

Erikson took influence from Freud's work in that he also saw development as a series of stages and potential conflicts. However, he placed more emphasis on social interaction than sex. Although he held that development can continue throughout a person's life, rather than ending after the first few years. Erikson devised a series of eight stages in the form of conflicts that we encounter at certain age ranges:

Trust vs. mistrust (from birth-1 year): As infants, we depend on our caregivers to provide for our basic needs, and develop trust when these needs are met. Otherwise, we may grow up to be suspicious and mistrustful.

Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (1-3 years): As toddlers, we become willful and curious. If we're restricted, we may develop shame and doubt.

Initiative vs. guilt (3-5 years): As young children, we engage in play, interaction, and self-expression. Too much criticism can cause guilt.

Industry vs. inferiority (5-12 years): At this age, we learn to read and create. Positive reinforcement will lead to industriousness. Otherwise, we may feel inferior.

Identity vs. role confusion (12-18 years): As teens, we typically try to understand who we are, but this can sometimes lead to confusion.

Intimacy vs. isolation (18-40 years): In adulthood, we often seek intimacy in order to avoid feeling isolated.

Generativity vs. stagnation (40-65 years): In middle adulthood, we focus on establishing our careers and families. If we are unsuccessful, we can feel stagnant.

Integrity vs. despair (65+ years): As older adults, we contemplate the integrity of our lives and accomplishments. If we do not feel accomplished, we may experience despair.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Now that you've seen how Erikson structured his life stages, you can see how the first stage fits into the scheme of things. As you might imagine, earlier stages can influence later ones. Trust vs. mistrust can be characterized by the question 'can I trust that the world is a safe place?' In this stage, we learn whether or not people are dependable and consistent in providing for our basic needs.

Typically, our first interactions in life are with our parents or primary caregivers. If these people consistently feed us when we are hungry, clothe us when we are cold, and comfort us when we are distressed, we will know that other people can be reliable and trustworthy. This also has an influence on our understanding of permanence. We trust that when our caregivers leave the room, they will return. If our basic needs are not consistently met because our caregivers are neglectful or even abusive, we learn to be mistrustful, and this can continue throughout life. We may become suspicious, withdrawn, anxious, and have difficulty distinguishing honest from dishonest people.

As you can see, this trust, or lack thereof, can shape our understanding of the world at large. However, there is an important caveat. You may have noticed from the list of stages that one side of each conflict may be viewed as positive and the other as negative. However, the definitions of positive and negative are used rather loosely here. Erikson acknowledged that it's not realistic to only experience the positive side of a conflict. The negative outcome isn't always a bad thing. For example, it's not always adaptive to be trustful of everyone. Sometimes a little suspicion can keep us safe from those who may wish to harm us. Erikson wrote that balance, in any stage, is required for healthy development.

Lesson Summary

Trust vs. mistrust is the first stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. This stage begins at birth and lasts through one year of age. Infants learn to trust that their caregivers will meet their basic needs. If these needs are not consistently met, mistrust, suspicion, and anxiety may develop.

Summary:

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